U.S. Office of Personnel Management www.opm.gov - Recruiting, Retaining and Honoring a World-Class Workforce to Serve the American People

Appointing Authorities

Individuals may be hired under the following authorities:

• Fellowships, Scholarships, and Similar Programs
• Student Career Experience Program (SCEP)
• Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP)
• Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program

Fellowships, Scholarships, and Similar Programs

• What it provides: The fellowships, scholarships, and similar programs authority at 5 CFR 213.3102(r) provides an excepted service appointing authority for filling positions from limited applicant pools under hiring and operating procedures established between a Federal agency and a non-Federal organization. Although appointments are time-limited (cannot exceed 4 years) with no conversion privilege to the competitive service, this authority allows agencies to:
  • Bring in individuals with specialized knowledge or expertise under agency-developed exchange programs with the private sector;
  • Provide students insight and the opportunity to apply their particular field of study to real-world situations; or
  • Provide a means for individuals to meet a service obligation under specific programs authorized in statute.
• When to use it: Agencies may use this authority to:
  • Support internship or fellowship programs that provide developmental or professional experiences to individuals who have completed their formal education.
  • Establish training and associate programs to increase the pool of qualified candidates in a particular occupational specialty.
  • Design professional/industry exchange programs that provide cross-fertilization between the agency and the private sector to foster mutual understanding and exchange of ideas and/or to bring experienced practitioners to the agency.
  • Arrange residency programs through which participants gain experience in the Federal environment.
  • Participate in programs that require a period of Government service in exchange for educational, financial, or other assistance; for example, Federal Cyber Service: Scholarship for Service, funded by the National Science Foundation, and the National Security Education Program under the Department of Defense.
• Who is eligible: Each program has different requirements as established by the agency. Programs may require that the student actively pursues a degree, certificate, or diploma (high school to doctorate) or is a career professional (teaching faculty to lead scientist). Students need to be in good academic standing at their schools and able to meet security requirements.
• Benefits to the hiring manager: Using this authority is an excellent way for a manager to bring in fresh ideas, experience, and knowledge.

Student Career Experience Program (SCEP) (Formerly, Co-operative Education Program (Co-op))

• What it provides: SCEP allows appointment of students to positions that are related to their academic field of study. Employment as a student is in the excepted service and public notice is not required. Participants who meet all the requirements of the program may be noncompetitively converted to term, career, or career-conditional appointments.
• When to use it: SCEP can be a good tool to "grow your own" workforce by hiring students into developmental positions to address future agency needs.
• Who is eligible: Eligibility requirements for SCEP include:
  • Enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a degree-seeking student in an accredited high school or technical or vocational school, 2-year or 4-year college or university, or graduate or professional school.
  • At least 16 years old.
  • Taking at least a half-time course load as determined by the academic institution.
• Benefits to the hiring manager: Hiring under SCEP is an effective way for a manager to:
  • Bring students into the agency in targeted positions for workforce and succession planning.
  • Evaluate the student's performance in real work situations.
  • Permanently place successful students upon completion of coursework leading to a diploma, certificate, or degree and at least 640 hours of work experience.

Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP)

• What it provides: The Federal Career Intern Program is designed to help agencies recruit exceptional individuals into a variety of occupations at the GS-5, 7, and 9 grade levels. Created under Executive Order 13162, this program allows individuals to be appointed to a 2-year internship that provides formal training and developmental assignments as established by the agency. Upon successful completion of the program, the interns may be eligible for non-competitive permanent placement within the agency.
• When to use it: FCIP can be used for entry-level positions that would lend themselves to internal formal training/developmental programs, leading to filling journey-level positions in the agency.
• Who is eligible: Those who have diverse professional experiences, academic backgrounds, and/or relevant skills are eligible for the program. The program is not restricted to students. Career intern appointments may be made at any time during the year.
• Benefits to the hiring manager:
  • FCIP can be used with a targeted recruitment program and the agency Human Capital Strategic Plan to bring in entry-level employees.
  • FCIP provides agencies flexibility concerning what types of formal training and developmental opportunities to provide for specific positions.
  • After 2 years, the employee can be noncompetitively converted to a permanent appointment.

Presidential Management Fellows (PMF) Program (Formerly, Presidential Management Intern Program)

• What it provides: Since 1977, the PMF Program has helped agencies meet their workforce and succession planning needs by attracting outstanding graduate, law, and doctoral-level students to Federal service. This program helps Federal managers and executives face the challenge of recruiting the next generation of leaders. OPM recruits thousands of candidates, assesses their skills, and selects only the top finalists, saving agencies time and expenses - and ensuring a premium candidate pool. Agencies can appoint finalists as Fellows at the GS-9, 11, or 12 level (or equivalent), utilizing the Schedule A hiring authority. Fellows complete a two-year fellowship that provides formal training and developmental assignments. Upon successful completion of the Program, the Fellow converts to a non-competitive permanent position within the agency. OPM recruits for the Program annually and reaches out to accredited graduate schools throughout the world. OPM hosts a searchable online resume bank and job posting system. Agencies in the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches of the Federal Government can hire Fellows.
• When to use it: The PMF Program should be used by agencies as a succession planning program to fill future leadership needs. Participating agencies must be willing to commit to a two-year program to prepare and develop the Fellows for leadership positions within the organization.
• Who is eligible: Students from all academic disciplines who expect to complete an advanced degree (master's, law, or doctoral-level degree) from a qualifying college or university are eligible to apply for the program. Applicants to the program are eligible the year they complete their graduate degree requirements and must be nominated by their degree granting school to be considered for the Program. OPM rigorously assesses each applicant nominated by their school to ensure the selected finalists have superior writing, interpersonal, analytic, and leadership skills. Only individuals identified by OPM as PMF finalists may be hired as a Fellow.
• Benefits to the hiring manager: OPM does the legwork to find the candidates your agency needs - those with a clear interest in, and commitment to, excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs. Finalists are recent graduate students completing a variety of master's, law or doctoral-level degrees. After two years, the employee noncompetitively converts to a permanent position - helping agencies fill targeted positions for workforce and succession planning.
• Additional information: Please visit the PMF Program's website at www.pmf.opm.gov. A list of Agency PMF Coordinators can be found under the "Agencies" section. You can contact the PMF Program at pmf@opm.gov or at 202-606-1040.

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